Watermark

Summary: Everything reminded him of her. He knew he had to get over this and home was not the place to do it. So, he ran away and it seems like a stranger and her family will be the ones who can heal him. JacobOC ECLIPSE SPOILERS Book One of the Imprints of Life series. FINAL CHAPTER HAS BEEN POSTED! AU

Notes:

12. Chapter 12

He could hear them talking down below as he stretched on the floor of the attic. Dinner had come and gone and Jake had excused himself, much to his relief and probably the vampires also. The evening had been tenser then he had thought it would be, though he tried his best to be polite. By the end of the meal he was feeling terrible for Emily. How was she supposed to know she was brining together two ancient enemies, one of which did not even eat solid food, for a night of steak and chocolate dessert. It made him feel bad, but he had done his best and that was all that could be asked.

He was distinctly remembering a time when he was thirteen when he adamantly said that no girl and her family would ever make him do something he did not want to do. His father had just chucked and said, "We'll see about that." Once again, the man had been proved right. He had gone against ever instinct in his body for Samara and her stepmother and did not feel the least bit used or unmanly. That was slightly comforting even if he wanted to go yell at everyone to go to hell.

"Most of my finished stuff is stored in the barn," Samara's soft voice interrupted his thoughts.

He rolled over and moved over to the stairs, looking down them. He could see their shadows, but nothing more. From the looks of it, she was with one of the Cullen women, or maybe both.

"I have some in the closet though. I have not had a chance to move them yet."

"Do you need any help?" the older ones voice when a crash was heard.

"It's up to high. I'll get it." Another crash and she made a victorious sound.

"How did they get up there?" Alice asked.

There were some thumps as Samara put back some of the fallen supplies. "Jake helped."

He turned from their conversation and looked back out the window. Everything seemed fine down bellow. He could see the younger of the males pacing around outside, probably trying to control himself. The warm smell of blood could be tempting. He hoped that he would not have to do any attacking, that would definitely put a damper on the night.

A movement in the woods caught Jacob's attention and his head shot to the left. Jasper, too, paused and starred into the darkness. Both sniffed the air and above the smell of the Cullens, Jacob could sense another.

Muscles tensed and Jasper lifted his head to look up at the window. Jacob did not waste any time climbing from the window and landing with a muffled thump, three stories bellow.

Jasper raised an eyebrow at him, but did not say a word. They stood in silence, waiting, knowing something was out there.

"Would she be that foolish?" Jacob muttered.

"It's a female?"

"We caught sight of her some time at the beginning of last month. This family-"

"Lost a son and brother. There's something strange about this one. She does not smell normal."

"No. I don't understand, I have patrolled everyday and smelt nothing. It was as if she dissipeared."

Jacob let the insult slide, too troubled to do anything. What was the point anyway? "There is something strange. You are right, she does not smell right."

Jasper did not say anything. "Perhaps we should consult Alice."

Jacob was not one to trust faulty visions, but it seemed like his best option to keep this family safe, to keep her safe. He would use every resource available to him. As if she had heard them which, he realized she probably did, Alice came dancing out onto the porch and down to them.

"You summoned?" she said jokingly to Jasper.

He nodded with a grim face and her smile faltered. "What is it?"

"I need you to focus your vision on this family. Please."

Jacob sniffed the air again and smelt only the Cullens' sickly sweet scent. He did not relax however.

"Why-"

"Please, Alice, just do it."

She dutifully nodded and her eyes took on a glazed look. She suddenly fell back with a small cry. "There was something, but I-I could not get a clear hold on it. It was like us, but not. She is not a Newborn as you feared she is old and powerful and knows what she is doing. She was...summoned to get revenge."

"Summoned?" Jasper and Jacob said at the same time.

"Summoned by whom?" Jasper asked.

"I don't know, but you have to be careful. I don't know if you win I can't see you or her or any of them. They are hidden from me. It's very strange."

There was a tense silence before Jasper finally spoke. "Be on your guard tonight. We'll be patrolling the forests."

Jacob nodded just as Carlisle and Esme came out on the porch with the Dawsons. They were bidding them goodbye with polite nods. Samara stood in the doorway with her arms over her chest starring curiously at the trio.

Jacob did not meet her eyes and she scowled, before turning into the house.

She avoided him for the rest of the evening and he went to bed knowing there was no way he would get any sleep that night. He could sense them in the woods, but that was all. Whatever he and Jasper had seen was no where to be found.

Footstep around two alerted him that he was not the only one awake, thus he was not surprised to see Samara sitting next to him. She wore a robe and socks so he knew she was angry with him and did not want to share any warmth he could provide. Her eyes were glittering brown.

"What's happened?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"Jacob! Don't lie. Didn't we decide the honesty was a better heartache then not knowing."

"We speculated," he snapped.

She glared at him. "I don't understand you sometimes. One minute you draw be close and confess you darkest desires and the next you push me away."

"Darkest desires? A little dramatic don't you think?"

"You're missing the point."

"No. I get what you are saying. You're being paranoid."

"Paranoid? You were having a civil chat with Jasper and Alice Cullen."

"Your point?"

"You could hardly keep yourself from tearing them apart at dinner."

There was silence as they starred at each other.

"Jacob, if something is wrong I should be prepared."

He finally sighed and looked at his hands. "Jasper and I heard and smelt something in the woods. Something that should not be there. From the beginning the vampire smelt weird, but I never gave it a second thought. Then tonight, Alice had a vision where she could not see anything. All she knew was that it attacks and that it is not a Newborn vampire. She's not even sure if it is a vampire at all. She said she is old and knows what she is doing. That she was summoned for revenge."

Samara had lost color fast and she nearly fell when her knees buckled. "Summoned?"

"The vision was not clear; she did not know who did. They are out in the woods now, watching."

"Summoned," she said again, weakly.

He nodded.

There was a long silence before she spoke again. "You know there is a legend around here about witches."

"Figures. We are near Salem."

"Let me finish. It is said that there is a coven of witches whose founders were descended from Morgan Le Fay herself. They came with the settlers hoping for freedom to practice their arts without fear of death, but it did not happen. Many were lost in the Witch Trials...more then history would claim. The ones who survived went into hiding, practicing their art in secret before passing it down to their daughters. So it went, daughter to daughter. It was a gift. Not signs and words like you would think of a witch, but real power that only they could wield." She stopped.

"Go on."

She gave him a playful smile. "Why would you be interested in a fairytale?"

"Why did you think it was relevant to tell it?"

"One went bad," she began again. "As one is always want to do when they have power that has rules. They were not a dark bunch. Sacrifices were not needed. One, such person wanted more and she was deceived. She sacrificed her own child for this power and it came in the form of a blood thirsty monster. The shape of a woman and the needs of a vampire. She could be controlled by the one who did the sacrifice and this was how she took her revenge. The coven was destroyed and all who did not pledge loyalty were killed. The betrayer formed new rules that the survivors carried out. The Sisterhood that once existed was gone forever."

"You think a bunch of witches summoned this thing?"

"It could be."

"What were the called?"

"The Sisterhood. Simple as that. They recognized each other by wearing the symbol of a candle in flame. When they wanted to call a meeting they would leave a plane tallow candle lit in their window."

Jacob grinned at her. "Is there a prophesied savior, too?"

She glared at him. "No, but there is a prophesy that one of great power equal only to Morgan Le Fay herself will rise up and take control. Whether for good or bad it does not specify."

"Fascinating, really, but what does it have to do with our current problem? Witches do not exist."

"Neither do werewolves or vampires," she snapped back. "I don't think you should brush it off."

Jacob nodded and took her words to heart. "You are probably right. You should go to bed."